assailant
noun
as·sail·ant
ə-ˈsā-lənt 
plural assailants
: a person who attacks someone violently
an assault by an unknown assailant
She could identify the assailant and his two accomplices, and she wanted to press charges.—
Jennifer Baumgardner
Jennifer BaumgardnerDetectives speculated that she may have been punched on the chin, perhaps knocked unconscious by her assailant.—Joseph Wambaugh
Joseph WambaughExamples of assailant in a Sentence
the darkness prevented me from getting a good look at my assailant
Recent Examples on the Web
The pair portrayed themselves as building on the work of multiple mass killers, from Tarrant to the Buffalo supermarket attacker to the Chabad of Poway assailant.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026
The other assailant, Caleb Vazquez, was 18.
—Anna Schecter, CBS News, 20 May 2026
Françoise is a receptionist at the local police station, where her beloved cousin Gilles patrols, and is unexpectedly asked to sketch the composite of an assailant.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 19 May 2026
On Monday, two assailants, a 17-year-old and an 18-year-old, attacked the Islamic Center of San Diego, the site of both a mosque and school, killing three adults.
—Ibrahim Al-Marashi, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2026
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Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026
The other assailant, Caleb Vazquez, was 18.
—Anna Schecter, CBS News, 20 May 2026
Françoise is a receptionist at the local police station, where her beloved cousin Gilles patrols, and is unexpectedly asked to sketch the composite of an assailant.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 19 May 2026
On Monday, two assailants, a 17-year-old and an 18-year-old, attacked the Islamic Center of San Diego, the site of both a mosque and school, killing three adults.
—Ibrahim Al-Marashi, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for assailant
Cite this Entry
“Assailant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assailant. Accessed 27 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
assailant
noun
as·sail·ant
ə-ˈsā-lənt
: a person who commits criminal assault
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